Hillsborough heroine Anne’s an inspiration ..I’m proud to play her
Maxine honoured to tell mum’s story
MAXINE Peake is relishing the chance to portray on screen the “extraordinary” Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams.
The actress hopes the four-part ITV drama will bring the brave mum’s story to new audiences.
It will recall Anne’s emotional fight with cancer as she battled to uncover the truth about the death of her son Kevin, 15, in the disaster on April 15, 1989.
Maxine, 44, told of her pride in landing the role, saying: “She was an extraordinary woman.
“Her fearlessness and drive to take on the British establishment is mind-blowing.
“Anne spent half her life campaigning for the truth of her son’s death and the other 95 victims, who were unlawfully killed at Hillsborough. She really is inspirational – a magnificent role model.”
Mum-of-three Anne, from Formby, Merseyside, died in 2013 at the age of 62.
That year, she was posthumously awarded the Helen Rollason Award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event. Maxine, who appeared in BBC dramas Silk and The Village, added: “I hope we can bring the story of Anne, the families, victims and survivors of Hillsborough to an even wider audience.” The drama, being made by World Productions which is behind Bodyguard, has been written by Hillsborough survivor Kevin Sampson, helped by Anne’s daughter Sara. ITV’s head of drama Polly Hill said: “She was nine when her brother died and has carried on her mum’s work.” Kevin was behind the goal in the Leppings Lane end when the crush of fans killed him. Sara explained: “The key factor here is the involvement of people I know who have a deep understanding of Hillsborough, our story. I am excited as well as a bit scared, but it is the right thing to do. “I am looking forward to working alongside talented people [to] produce a series that does justice to my mum.”